Rise of the Next Generation
by Jinxed Roses
Summary: Strange things have been happening in the safe house. People have been going missing, links have been broken, and new connections made. Derek has decided to take action, but when he leaves his family to get help things go horribly wrong. Now edited.
1. Chapter 1

_**Thorn: Alright guys!I'm glad to inform you that Jinx and I have fulfilled our promise to provide you with a collaboration story. We hope that this is the best of both our worlds. Hope you love it I mean, of course you will, duh. Just kidding. :D Seriously though, please review and let us know what you think. We are anxious to hear from our beloved reviewers. Tell us!**_

_**Sam/ Samuel**_

I stood outside, admiring our massive back garden. It was impressive, I must say. There were beautiful wildflowers that Mom and other volunteers kept weeds from invading, bird baths where birds sat, chirping, ponds where fish swam and jumped, and a fountain. The marble fountain was by far the best attraction in the yard. It was of two Greek woman clad in a sash that covered half of them, standing tall with their legs bent seductively, holding pots over their heads that were tilted. From these pots, water spilled out, arcing gracefully over the women. Around the bottom of the fountain were pennies, quarters, dimes, and nickels beginning to erode away like the rest of the fountain. This fountain was where all the children came to make wishes.

As I admired it, I felt a tug on my shirt. I looked down at the culprit, my little brother Dunkin, who was making his own signal for being thirsty. I smiled, "Go ahead and drink out of the fountain. The water's fine."

Sammy gasped, "He'll get led poison! Don't tell him that, Sam."

"Sis, it's copper, you can't get led poisoning from that.

"Yes you can. How would you know?"

"How would you know?"

Now doubt we could have continued for many hours like that if I hadn't fallen silent because of the dark approaching form of our father crossing the yard. From the classic scowl on his face, I knew this wasn't going to end well.

Sammy, oblivious to the oncoming natural disaster continued with a very mature, "Nuh-uh."

"Are you two fighting again?"

Finally Sammy turned, spotted the oncoming threat, and replied with an, "Eep!"

As children, it would have been at this time that we were sent outside to argue. This saved our parents a few unwanted headaches. But, seeing as how we were already outside, his customary, oh-for-the-love-of-God-be-quiet look worked just fine. Dunkin chose this moment to "speak up". Holding forward his sketchbook for Dad to view, he began flipping through the pages quickly. Normally, I would've waited for my turn to see, but I couldn't help but notice Dads lips twitching into a smile and his shoulders shaking in a silent laugh.

I leaned forward just in time to catch the ending. My eyes were met with a small cartoon-styled Dunkin slamming a hammer down onto midget-sized Sammys and Mes like a game of Whack-a-mole. I scowled down at the dark Bambi-eyed face of Dunkin, "Cold, bro. Cold."

Uncle Simon had taken it upon himself a year ago to teach Dunkin how to speak with pictures, seeing as how this young child had never spoken a word in his short eight years of life. Not that I could blame him, because I knew of the way he'd lived before Mom and Dad "adopted" him. The more accurate word might be abducted, but it's up for debate.

Dad shook his head, "Break it up, you two. Dinner's ready."

With that, the three of us fallowed him towards our large Victorian home. Back in the day, it might have been an old swanky hotel with its brick walls and marble trim, but now it looked dirty and un-kept. Once we went through the large mahogany doors into the kitchen, I was met with the mouthwatering aroma of cooked meat. I felt Sammy's hand grab me to prevent me from launching myself at the poor, unsuspecting man carrying a platter of a delectable rack of ribs into the dining area. We followed him into the dining room with Sammy's hand still locked around my wrist. It was as if she was restraining an eager puppy.

I looked at her with a frown, "You know, Boo, I get that it's not your fault you're this jumpy, but seriously?"

She frowned back at me, letting go of my wrist so that she could go sit with her friends.

I, on the other hand, decided to do the more responsible thing, like an older brother should, and planted myself by Dunkin, ruffling his near-white hair. I still couldn't believe the color of it. How he managed to mistake bleach for shampoo is beyond me.

Sitting on Dunkin's other side was Mom, Chloe. Her strawberry blonde hair framed her beautiful face which held blue eyes and a button-nose that matched my own. I had always been told that my skin was a perfect mirror of hers, but seeing her glow almost luminously made me seriously doubt it. No way was I that feminine. My Dad, Derek, was tough-looking, but handsome, and, to be totally honest, terrifying. He had glowing green eyes that went with Sammy's and a tanner skin tone which she inherited as well.

The relaxing lull of conversation had just kicked in as we ate our dinners when a loud _Clang_ sounded behind Dunkin. The poor boy jumped out of his skin, diving under the table, and sending his chair flying back. I could feel him trembling against my legs that he now clung to.

I scooted myself back, but remained seated as I looked over my shoulder to see a boy grinning snarkily. I grabbed the collar of his shirt, yanking him towards me, and off his feet. The words that escaped my lips were more of a growl than English language. They were stern and menacing. "Need some help, kid?"

The boy shook his head, a look of absolute terror on his face.

I placed him on his feet gently, straightening the wrinkles I'd placed in his shirt. "Careful not to cut yourself."

With that, I peeled Dunkin off my legs, sat him down in his now-up-right chair, scooted him towards his meal, and said, "Eat up, Doughnut."

Then, I looked at Mom and Dad, trying to read their facial expressions. Just when I saw what might have been approval, they turned back to their own plates. I watched as Dad leaned over Moms shoulder, "Hey, honey, are you-"

"Yes, dear." She interrupted, scooting the remainder of her food towards him with a smirk.

With a secret smile to her, he dug in.

**Jinx- Hey all, I'm still alive! In case you noticed better grammar, you can thank Thorn for that. We are very proud to bring you this collaboration so don't forget to Fav and Follow.**

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	2. Chapter 2

_Jinx: readalot99- Thanks, I'm really proud of that joke. And Derek would be a stern father, right? Loving but scary:) Thanks for the support!_

_Jayfire- YOU ARE THE BEST! Thanks for always laughing at the right parts, there's a cyber hug from me and Thorn![hugs]_

_**Sammy/ Samantha**_

"Sammy!"

I jumped from my spot on the huge beanbag, my heart leapt into my throat when I heard my brother screaming my name. Throwing the book I'd been reading down, I charged out of the foyer, and into the front yard. What I saw next, I almost couldn't believe.

Sam crouched over what seemed to be a large bloody heap in the grass and was waving me over frantically. His eyes were panic-stricken and his front doused with blood. I was frozen for an instant, wondering what on Earth had happened before instincts kicked in. I launched myself in his direction and crouched beside him, wondering what to do.

Before I could even voice my questions, he said in a horrified whisper, "Hurry! Help me turn him over."

I did so; grimacing at the warm, syrupy liquid that now coated my hands. The overwhelming stench of infection burned my nose and stung my eyes. The lump of torn flesh gave a groan, but it was hard to see his face in the receding sunlight.

His eyes peeled open, settling a golden gaze on me, I was struck by the way his eyes matched the color of the setting sun. Just as slowly as they opened, they slid shut, and I could hear his breath rattling in his chest.

"Dunkin, go get the Shaman!" Sam shouted.

Looking over, I could see the shivering frame of our young brother taking refuge beneath the fountain. No doubt the site before him was bringing back horrid memories. After a moment or two of hesitation, he ran into the house.

"Sammy, take his feet." Sam ordered.

I turned back to the bloody heap, grabbing the two long appendages that I hoped were his feet. Sam took hold of his shoulders and we lifted him together. After a few minutes of struggling on my part, we managed to place him in the foyer. I heard a few kids yelp, some of them ran, and a couple of adults rushed forward to help.

A large, burly man -Buckley- took over from there, carrying the boy the remainder of the way to the Healing Room. I attempted to follow, but my mother soon blocked my path.

"Let's give them room to work, sweetie." she said solemnly.

"Does Daddy know yet?" I asked.

"No, Derek just left. I'll call him when I can." With that, she pulled me into a tight hug, leading me away to the Library instead of my preferred destination. Once there, she sat me down at a round table, and said, "Now, tell me everything."

"Mom, I really don't know." I replied brokenly.

"Are you sure you didn't see anything? Anything at all?" Mom persisted kindly.

"No, Mom, Sam was the one who found him." I explained.

She nodded, "Okay, sweetie, I'll be right back. Stay here."

With that, she turned on her heels, exiting as quickly as she'd entered.

I reached out to play with the handle of one of the antique teacups that always rested on the table, only to notice it quivering in its saucer. Curiously, I looked under the table, already assuming I knew what was doing it. Sure enough, Dunkin peeked back up at me with those big eyes of his.

"Hey, Doughnut, Watcha doing under there?" I asked softly.

He slowly crept out before hugging himself to my knees. I scooped him up in my arms, holding his curled form against me. Running my fingers through his hair, I recalled the memory of how it became so white.

It was only a few months after we'd adopted him, so we were all sitting down to dinner, waiting for him to finish with his shower. There was the quiet chatter of conversation, but when he walked in, everyone fell silent, all eyes locking on him. His eyes were watery as he looked up at Mom, a shy expression on his face.

Mom's hand covered her mouth and her blue eyes grew wide. "Oh, good God."

Dad smiled, snorting quietly as he tried to hold in his laughter.

Sam and I, on the other hand, were not as discreet. As soon as we saw the snowy tint of his hair, we howled with laughter. We tipped back in our chairs in unison, hitting the floor with a great thump. It was worth the pain.

That was the first time we'd ever seen Dunkin smile. Admittedly, it was small, but it was there nonetheless.

Mom came back in with Sam trailing behind her. Dunkin flew out of my arms, ran across the table, and jumped into hers. She caught him with the ease of a woman who had been a mother for many years. With the jerk of his movement, however, a teacup tipped off the side, heading for the floor. Mom's hand shot out, catching it, and placing it back on the table gracefully.

She sat down, smiled, and patted his head, "Alright, now you can tell me what happened."

Sam remained standing by the door, eyes on the ground. "We were playing outside when I caught a smell in the breeze. I didn't recognize it, so I went to see what it was. That's when I saw him stumbling through the trees. I saw him collapse and that's when Doughnut ran off. I could tell he was bleeding though, so I called for Sammy. You know the rest." he said with a shrug.

_**Readalot99: Thank you so much for being the first reviewer! I'm glad you liked it, be sure to check back!**_

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	3. Chapter 3

**_Hey, Jayfire and FrostoftheNight, thank you very much for your support! You have been loyal for so long. Please, remember to fav and follow in case you haven't already. Your support means a lot to us. Thank you! Please, don't stop tapping that button. And, remember, you love giving it, and the review button loves taking it._**

**_Chloe and Dunkin_**

It had been a great many years with a lot of supernatural's passing through our safe house, but this one had me stumped. What kind of supernatural could possibly slip pass our defenses? After all, we had planned for almost anything. Trip wires, shield spells, Ghost Guards, and fair amount of Werewolves, aged though they were.

Mentally, I was rolling through a list of every supernatural I'd ever heard of while I sat by the young man's bedside. He cleaned up well. The damp red-brown hair stuck to his forehead, he had cream-colored skin, a handsome, youthful face, and a tall lanky form.

He wasn't a Necromancer, I could tell. Definitely not a Werewolf, he wasn't nearly muscular enough. Though fit, he was extremely skinny. Possibly a Wizard, but he was old enough to begin training, and the first thing he would've learned was a Protection spell. Just as I was throwing out the thought that he might be a half-demon, he stirred.

Rolling in discomfort, his eyes crept open. The first thing I noticed was their luminous golden glow. That removed any doubt as to what he was. I'd met a lot of supernaturals in my life, but this was my first Vampire.

"Well, good morning, sunshine." I said with an ironic giggle.

He looked out the window, only to see the pale light of the moon. "What do you mean 'morning'? It must be near midnight."

"Isn't it the same thing for you, Vamp?" I said happily.

He looked back at me, "How did you know?"

"Your eyes are glowing. There's only two species that it could be."

"Guess my peepers are pretty impressive." He stated, rubbing his chin with a hand.

"Pretty cocky for a guy tied to a bed." I said, gesturing to the hand.

He side-glanced, noticing the chains attached to his wrists. "Oh, well, Déjà vu."

_Time to get down to business, _I thought."What's your name and how did you get here?"

"Name's Vincent, but where's 'here'?"

"I'll ask the questions."

He raised an eyebrow, "Are you the good cop or the bad cop?"

"That depends on you."

"What a warm welcome." he said sarcastically.

"Answer the question. How'd you get here?" I demanded.

His eyes went dark, "I don't know where here even is or how I got here."

From the look on his face, I could tell he wasn't lying, but I wasn't going to let him get off that easily. "What's the last thing you remember, then?"

"I was attacked by a few pups that escaped their age." he spat out.

I figured he was talking about Werewolves. "Is that so?" I felt my expression harden.

"Yeah, they thought they could take on this." He went to flex his chest, but winced, yelping.

I attempted to hide my smile. He seemed like a good kid. I knew how to handle teens like him. "Well, consider yourself put on probation. See you in the morning." I got up to leave, reaching for the door.

"Hey, wait."

I turned, only to see his cocky smile.

""So, did you like what you saw?"

I smiled, mentally breaking out laughing. "Yeah, it's been a long time since I washed my son like I did you. He's your age after all."

I watched his smug expression melt into a look that clearly said oh-my-God.

"You catch some shut-eye." I advised before walking out.

Shutting the door behind me, I entered the dark hallway, embracing the silence. It was very rare that our home was quiet because of our large family. With all the people coming and going, it was hard to get any quiet time. The moonlight glinted off of the many pictures on the wall, allowing me a moment to admire them.

The first one that caught my attention was one of our family when we'd just begun our operation. We were all together, smiling for the camera. There was Simon, Tori, Kit, Aunt Lauren, Derek, and myself. It wasn't long after that photo was taken that I became pregnant. Of course, Aunt Lauren had blown a gasket, ranting about how irresponsible we were, considering I was only seventeen, and Derek himself a mere eighteen.

The next one I spotted was one of the twins themselves. They were just a few months old, wrapped in Derek's arms during nap time. You couldn't see his face, but the fatherly pride was radiating from him as he gazed upon his two children.

I continued down the lines of images, examining the ever-growing pictures. With each year, new arrivals made their own mark on these halls. There was one of Buckley and Derek arm wrestling, numerous kids running and holding up their prized toys, as well as Clyde –our prized chef- covered in mud after the twins got their young hands on him.

A feeling of warmth spread over me as memories flooded back. With satisfaction in my heart, I went to my room. It was time to call Derek.

Dunkin peeked out the door into the dark back garden, his eyes sweeping to make sure he was alone. With everyone in bed, it was the perfect time to get away. As he slipped outside, the only sound to be heard was his soft humming. He felt a bit guilty over never uttering a sound around his family, but when he was alone, he gathered the courage to sing soft notes. Around them, he couldn't, not yet. Something was holding him back. He couldn't really place it, not even for himself. He just knew it wasn't time yet.

The flowers looked even more beautiful in the moonlight than in the sunlight. He knew his Mama would like them. Though she wasn't really his Mama, that didn't change how he felt about her, or his family. He chose and plucked the flowers with extreme care, choosing only ones with the brightest of colors.

His humming stopped when he heard a rustling in the trees. After a moment or two of silence, he turned back to the rich carnations. It must have just been a stray breeze. However, the sudden startle had reminded him of the situation at dinner earlier that night.

A sudden despair filled his mind as he recalled his poor treatment in class. All of the kids at the safe house were homeschooled which meant there was no escaping the taunts and teasing. It was relentless, the inability to speak constantly pointed out, and his sketchbook stolen on many occasions. He was more than happy to tolerate this than the pain he had endured at the hands of the Edison group. If it weren't for his Mama and Daddy, he'd probably still be in that dreadful place, assuming they kept him alive this long.

Once he had a satisfying handful of flowers, he turned back to the large brick home. He entered silently, heading towards his Mama's room. As he did so, he noticed several things along the way. His eyes landed on the toys left behind from his fellow children, a pair of boots covered in mud abandoned on the grand staircase, course books thrown about with carelessness, and the slightest scent of dinner still clinging to the air. Even in the stillness of the night, snores echoed through the halls, reminding him that though asleep, this place was alive.

It didn't take long to reach his Mama's room, checking for light beneath the door, he knocked gently.

"Come in." came the sweet reply.

He pushed the door open without a word, peaking in to see her sitting up in bed, a book resting peacefully on her lap.

"Honey, what are you doing up this late?"

As he had neglected to bring his notebook, he held up the flowers as his only reply.

She placed the book aside, patting her lap, eyes soft with affection.

He pitter-pattered over, climbing into her warm arms.

She took the flowers, inhaling the fragrance deeply. "These are beautiful."

He beamed proudly, resting his head against her chest, and listening to the steady rhythm of her heart. He hadn't thought he was tired, but soon enough, he felt his eyelids drooping.

She placed a tender kiss on his forehead, and beneath her breath, began singing a comforting tune. The lullaby she'd created only for him.

He drifted away into a welcomed sleep.

**THANKS TO: Jayfire- I know right, that button just can't get enough of you guys:) As always me and Thorn are more grateful than we can say. **

**FrostoftheNight- Thanks for the review, and the kind words:)**

**remember to bang the button, it's free!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Jinx: Jayfire- I know right? Who could be mean to some one as cute as Dukin? Oh wait, I'm the one who thought of the bully thingO_o whoa im a jerk. Please forgive me!**

**FrostoftheNight- Glad you liked it, thanks for the review.**

**bookgirl98- Thanks for the advice, i hope this makes it easier for you to read. Please continue to be awesome:)**

**DoodleMistress- I squealed when i read you review, it made the two of us soooo happy. Thanks for the support!**

**Derek**

_**Chapter Four**_

The phone was warm against my ear, "I'll be home soon to check out the new arrival."

Chloe's voice echoed from the other end, "He seems like a trouble maker, but nothing I can't handle. Don't rush home, we'll be fine."

"You know I can't help worrying." I could almost hear her rolling her eyes.

"Which is scarier, dealing with the Edison Group or dealing with about twelve kids and six teenagers?"

"Do we really have that many?"

"Well, they're not all ours, but yeah." she said with an exasperated sigh.

"I feed them all, don't I?"

"It's not like you're dragging in some deer from the woods." she said teasingly.

"Practically. Oh, that reminds me! Say hi to Buckley for me." I replied with a smirk she couldn't see.

"I know you're smirking."

The expression dropped immediately from my face and I glanced around, half expecting to see her peeping out from the trees.

She giggled, "I should let you go."

"Yeah, I suppose." I replied disappointingly.

"I'll make it up to you when you get home." she stated hungrily.

I knew what that meant. "I'm holding you to that."

"Kinda figured. See you soon."

_She told me not to hurry, then ends the conversation like that? Hell no._ "I'll call again tomorrow."

"And I'll hold you to that. Love you, goodnight."

"Love you too. Kiss the kids for me."

"Ours or all of them?"

I smiled, "Goodnight Chloe."

I drew the phone back into my view and clicked the end button. After sliding it back into my pocket, I continued down the street towards my Father's. It had been a long time since I had come to visit without needing to ask for help. This time it was him who called me.

When I reached his house, I saw that the porch and kitchen lights were on which was his usual signs of welcome. I knew I didn't need to knock, so I just went in. My Father was waiting for me at the table.

"Hey, Kit." I said, casually taking a seat beside him.

"You know you can still call me, 'Dad'" he said warmly.

I shrugged, "It raises too many eyebrows."

"I know that, son." he replied, patting my shoulder like always.

"So, what'd you need help with?" I asked, getting straight to the point.

His dark brown eyes bore into mine. "I have a few residents under my care that haven't checked in with me in about a month. I didn't think it would be safe to go in without backup."

"So, I'm your backup?"

"You've never failed me before."

I couldn't help but smile. "Where do they live?"

"About twenty minutes out from here. We can take my car."

"Do I get to drive?"

Kit sighed, relinquishing the keys which I snatched up as happily as the day I got my legal license. Well, almost legal, if you don't count the fact that it's forged.

Dad had never been the flashy type, instead, a sturdy truck rested in his driveway. We climbed inside and began the short journey.

The moment we saw the scorched trees, we fell silent, our calm conversation instantly muted. A cold sensation traveled through our spines. This didn't look good.

From the site before us, we had a pretty good idea as to what had taken place. Not to say that house fires weren't common, but this reeked of foul play. Especially if you knew what we know.

"When did you say they fell out of contact?" I asked quietly.

"Almost a month ago." came the hushed reply. "They weren't the most diligent family. I didn't think anything of it." His voice trailed off as he fell deep in thought.

"It'll be okay, Kit." I said reassuringly.

I pulled the truck up to the ashes that had once stood as a house. "Where do they hide their safety card?"

"In the tree roots just by the fence." Kit explained.

I got out, making my way to the only tree that stood by the remainder of what used to be a white picket fence. Kneeling down, I ran my hands over the roots, looking for any gaps. Finding one, I reached in, and felt around.

For a moment, I felt nothing and began to relax until my fingers brushed against something smooth. Praying for a moment that it was a stray candy wrapper, I pulled out a sleek red card. That confirmed my worst fears. It had been years since an attack from the Edison Group had taken place, but one had been long overdue.

Silently, I made my way back to the truck, climbed into the drivers seat, and handed the card to Kit without a word. The reflected red light spoke volumes. He fidgeted with it, almost as if he couldn't believe it was real.

"I could stay with you, Dad. If you need me too." I offered softly.

He looked up at me with un-shed tears in his eyes, "No, you need to go make sure our family's safe."

_**Thorn:**_

_**Jayfire: Thank you as usual for the wonderful review! Loved it! it made my day! As always. Keep hitting that button! Help us protect poor Dunkin. And blame Jinx. XD**_

_**FrostoftheNight: I'm glad you took the time to review at least! Thank you!**_

_**Bookgirl98: I'm glad you enjoyed it! Keep reading and find out what else happens!**_

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_**Now, pretend that button is Derek, you know what you want to do to him? Go ahead, do it to that button!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Jinx: bookgirl98- Thanks for your review, we are more than glad to improve your reading experience **

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**If anyone was wondering why there is no author's note from Thorn, it's because she's feeling very ill. She did manage to help me quite a bit during this chapter, but please send her your love through reviews. Otherwise known as the Sam button.**

**Sam/Samuel**

Usually breakfast was a calm affair that was filled with the clattering of plates and smell of waffles in the air. Tired conversations and children rubbing their eyes sleepily. This time however, mom decided to be needlessly cruel and withheld our breakfast until she informed us of our new pet. He'd only been standing in the dining room for a few moments, but I could already smell him. The blood had covered his scent before, but now there was a faint trace of wild cat in the air.

I'd never met one before, but I assumed it was the scent of Vampire. Buckley had told me once about them and how "the stench sticks". If Werewolves were dogs then Vampires were equal to cats.

Mom stood on a chair in order to be seen by all, her soft, but strong voice could be heard from every corner of the room. "Everyone, I would like you to meet Vincent. He is our newest refugee and our very first Vampire. Please, welcome him kindly and help him with anything he might need. Children, I expect you all to be on your best behavior." she added in a warning tone.

I looked at the boy standing next to Mom who I assumed was Vincent. His demeanor was confident, bordering on cocky, but his darting gaze gave him away. Resting on the boys shoulder was the hairy, meaty hand of Buckley.

Over all, Buckley looked like your classic Wolf Man. Excessive hair everywhere but the one place it was most needed; his head where there was a receding hair line. He was Dad's best friend and the third in command -right behind Dad who was usually guided by Mom. He had watery blue eyes that seemed to already know everything and therefore took on a perpetually bored look. When Dad was gone, he was the muscle of the house, so I had no doubt that Mom was using him as a metaphorical leash for our new friend.

Mom stepped off of the stool graciously as a sign that breakfast could continue. Of course, she was immediately bombarded with questions. Some of the older house members attempted to ask Vincent a few things, but the look he gave was their only answer. The younger kids kept their distance, studying him much as a bird of prey observes a field mouse.

After a while, people began their normal morning routine, but continued to shoot him curious looks. In a way I felt bad for the guy. I'd never had to go through the rigors of "new arrival". I just got cooed at and handed pacifiers.

As most people began to filter out after their meals, Mom gestured for me to join her in a corner of the room. Once there, she gave me that we-need-to-talk-look which in translation truly meant shut-up-and-listen. "I need you to keep an eye on Vincent for me."

"I thought Buckley was doing it." I replied.

She cocked her head, "How do you figure?"

I gave her my do-you-really-think-I'm-that-stupid look which loosely translated to please don't think I'm that stupid.

She smiled a Cheshire Cat's smile. "He was, but he has other commitments. So, I was hoping you could do it, but if you're not up for it, I'm sure he wouldn't mind fallowing Sammy around all day."

I felt my face go beat red with anger, "Oh, no, I'm game." After I'd said this, I realized far too late what she'd managed to do. Then again, she'd done it my whole life, I really should see it coming at this point.

Her smile widened and she patted my head, "I thought you just might."

After mumbling something under my breath about women, I marched my way over to the Nosferatu still finishing his pancakes. "Are you really eating those, or are you just sucking the red out of the Strawberries?"

He looked up with an irritated golden gaze, "You watch way too much Adventure Time, bro."

I scowled, "Dude, impossible."

He shook his head, pushing away the nearly empty plate. "You my new babysitter?"

"Sure, but you're changing your own diapers." I stated.

He smiled, displaying perfect fangs. "Thank God for small miracles."

_At least he has a sense of humor. Maybe this won't be so bad. _"Come on, let's get you a room."

We started down the hallway and I pointed out random things I thought he might need to know about. "That's Old Reggie's room, don't ever knock, that's Tina's 'Art' room, don't ever go in there. Especially if she invites you for tea. That's the Coplins apartment, watch out for the dog… and if you see that picture moving… don't worry about it. That's Liz's room, I suggest not taking more then two steps in because there's no floor."

"What is she, a ghost?" he asked sarcastically.

"Yes." I said flatly.

His jaw dropped, eyes going wide. "Wow."

"Don't worry. She's nice. Kind of like an Aunt to me."

He shrugged. "Cool."

Just as I was starting to believe this guy was okay, he looked over to me. "Hate to tell you this, bro, but you smell like wet dog."

I raised an eyebrow, "And I hate to tell you this, good sir, but you smell like dirty old cat."

We had a staring contest for maybe five seconds before bursting into laughter. After a moment, he stopped, and the smile dropped from his face to a look of wonder, "Who is she?" he asked in awe.

I began to look, "Yeah, we've got some pretty hot- oh, hell no!"

He tore his eyes away from my sister to look at me, startled. "What?"

"Dude, that's my sister." I said warningly, glaring at him.

He had officially lost all brownie points in my eyes.

He looked back and forth between me and her, "Oh, now I see it. The black hair and nose and everything…"

I nodded, "She's off limits, dude."

"Oh." he said without conviction.

"I bet you five bucks I can warn you off her with one little fact."

"Go ahead, shoot." he said nonchalantly.

I wasn't entirely sure he knew what I meant. "Let me tell you a little something about what I did to the last guy who tried to hit on my sister."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Thorn: I'm feeling much better now! I'm afraid I got Jinx a little sick though… oopsy. So, she won't be leaving a note. She says sowwy. She did help as usual though! Couldn't have done it without her.**_

_**As always I want to thank everyone! Be sure to check out Zombie Girl Jinx and her stories if you haven't already, and mine, Zombie Thorn, as well!**_

_**FrostoftheNight: Thank you as usual! Love the review! Keep it up!**_

_**Jayfire: Lol, I believe it worked. Thank you for loving that chapter and all others before it! As well as future ones…I implore you to learn about Vincent now. See what you think.**_

_**KillerCupids: Look, more eye candy! (says Jinx) We can't wait to know what you think of Vincent as well! :p Do tell!**_

**Sammy/Samantha**

Mom had informed me last night that I would be showing the new guy -Vincent- how things worked at our safe house. He was to help me with my chores until we could assign him his own rotation.

I woke up early and headed over to his room; 672. Once there, I knocked on the door loudly, assuming that he was like my brother and preferred to sleep all day. I hadn't seen him since he was in the yard and I was anxious to see what he looked like without all the blood.

After a moment, the door swung open.

"Hey, are you-" my voice cut-off abruptly as my eyes were met with a smooth, pale chest.

I couldn't help but notice the lean muscles engraved into his body that seemed to tease my sight. My face heated with embarrassment as my gaze dropped only to see that he was wearing nothing but boxers and Spongebob Squarepants socks. My eyes shot up gratefully to his face which was almost just as bad. Messy red-brown hair was falling into his gold eyes which were glazed over with sleep and scars I hadn't noticed before were shining silver.

"You-should-probably-get-dressed. We-have-chores-today." I stumbled over my words, hurrying away.

I launched myself downstairs, face still burning, and heart racing. It's not like that was the first time I'd seen a guy half-naked. Hell, my brother had been completely naked for the first five years of his life, refusing to put clothes on, and opting for running around in the garden wearing just a Conductors hat.

I tried to calm myself down, pacing. That's when I heard the top step creak. Whirling around, I looked up to see a fully-dressed Vincent descending the stairs, rubbing his eyes. His fangs glinted in the light as he yawned, making me suppress the urge to whimper.

He walked past me, plopping onto the couch.

I could see him blatantly checking me out, his eyes running up-and-down my legs until he studied my face. When his eyes met mine, the leering demeanor disappeared. He suddenly looked terrified, as if someone had walked over his grave. He looked away, putting up a hand to hide his face as if I was indecent.

I looked down, making sure that it wasn't like one of those nightmares where you walk into the classroom in only your underwear. I whistled to get his attention, "Hello, I'm not naked."

He mumbled a vague, "Uh-huh."

I thought for a moment, "Wait, did my brother tell you not to talk to me?"

He glanced over his hand, "Let's just say I lost five bucks." His voice was the sweetly, smooth, tuned sound of a Tenors.

"You're not the first person to lose money to him." I reassured him. "Don't worry, he won't do anything. Not with Mom around."

He lowered his hand, cocking his head, "Yeah, she's pretty scary. Don't tell me you took after her."

"Sorry, but yeah. So, do you want to start this whole thing over?" I asked shyly.

His lips pulled into a smile. "Sure." He leaned over the couch invitingly, sprawling out elegantly. "Hey, baby."

_Of course_, I thought. _The first hot guy in ten months and that's how he wants to restart?_ I scoffed, picking up the mop, and throwing it at him. "You scrub the library down."

He stood up, scowling. He looked confused about me not being flattered. "What?"

"The library. Go scrub it down." I replied. "I'll be there in five minutes to check your progress."

He smiled playfully as he headed out of the room. "You really do take after your mom. Bet this'll be fun."

Holding back my amusement, I watched him go, taking the time to examine his…_ass_ets.

_Hmm… Not bad_


	7. Chapter 7

**We are SO SORRY. We loved your reviews more than words can say, but I'm afraid we had no time to update in a long time. We hope you can forgive us and will still love our story. I would also like to apologize if this one's a bit short, but we would like to update again soon. Promise to get to your reviews next time. With love, Jinx.**

_**Chloe**_

_**Chapter Seven**_

I sat, overlooking the Garden from my large window seat, anxiously awaiting Derek's next phone call. I had been expecting his call this morning, but now that it was mid afternoon, I was beginning to worry.

The only entertainment I'd had all day was watching Samantha's little stair fiasco with the new boy Vincent. I should probably have gone downstairs and scolded him for checking out my Sammy, but she is a smart girl. She can handle anything. Just like her mother.

Just as I thought about banging my head against the wall out of anticipation, the phone rang. I nearly flew across the room to retrieve it.

Not wanting anyone to know how worried I was, I answered with a cool, "Hello?".

"Hey, babe. Sorry I didn't call earlier." Derek's voice replied meekly.

"What's your excuse this time?" I asked, trying to sound ticked instead of relieved.

He didn't buy it for a second. "Sorry to worry-"

"I wasn't worried." I interjected fiercely.

"Sure you weren't." he said in a falsely kind voice.

Deciding to change topic, I moved on to the question that was on my mind. "What did Kit want?"

There was a pause before an unwilling reply came. "There a family that was attacked. We can't locate them and we're not entirely sure what happened."

I stood there, momentarily too shocked to breath. "Was it the Edison Group?" I managed to say weakly.

"We can't be sure of that yet." he said matter-of-factly.

"What else could it be?" I shot back.

"I don't know, but we're going to find out."

"Well, where are you now, then?" I asked, dreading the answer.

He paused, as though trying to come up with a clever answer, then settled on, "In the Garden."

I frowned, "What garden?"

"Really?" he deadpanned.

I raced back to the large window and scanned the shrubs, only to see my cocky-looking husband leaning against a tree with a triumphant grin on his face.

I took just enough time to tell him he was a jerk before slamming the receiver back down into its cradle, and launching myself downstairs.

Bursting through the back doors, I quickly collided with my husband with such force, that it sent him sprawling back into the chilled water of the fountain with me still wrapped tightly in his arms.

I heard a rich chuckle just as our lips connected. I recognized that laugh in an instant. Looking over, I was surprised to see how silver-haired its owner had become. "Kit!" I shouted with joy.

He was smiling broadly as he watched us, "Well, isn't this a proper flashback to your childhood." he said teasingly.

_**Thorn- I am very sorry that our update was so late. With Christmas break, it was kind of crazy for the both of us. I can only hope that you all have stayed faithful and think this chapter was worth the incredibly long wait. We will be updating tomorrow as well hopefully, and possibly Saturday. After that, we would like to fall back into a routine. Thank you all who stayed with us! Love you all!**_


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